


The Empire

by Kamije_Celeek



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Attempted Rape, Drama, Empire AU, Eventual Makki, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Drama, Gen, Justinian and Theodora based, Max is a prince, Max's dad is a piece of shit, Multi, Nikki is a maid, to war we go!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-07-15 21:07:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 16,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16071374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamije_Celeek/pseuds/Kamije_Celeek
Summary: Nikki never expected to amount to anything.  In her mind, her life was going to play out as a normal girl's and she'd die married to somebody she didn't love.  Then her mother sold her to the imperial palace, where she was put as Prince Maximillian's maid.  For the first time, somebody wants her to do more than sit still and look pretty.  Max sees her as his equal, and not just a pretty face to occupy his time.  Their relationship blooms, but it appears that Nikki has caught the attention of the emperor.  He wants her for himself, and he'll take her by any means necessary...Even if it means fighting his own son.





	1. The Acharyian Empire

She honestly hated working for her mother.

If there was any way to describe the feeling of working for a woman who ran the largest brothel in the capital, it was  _hatred_. She wasn't one of the 'girls' by any stretch of the imagination—in fact, she was the one woman working there who didn't fulfill the requests of customers. She just hated the people she was forced to deal with on a daily basis. It was better than being a slave, she guessed, like a lot of people were around the city, but that didn't stop her from wishing she could have a different job.

On a daily basis, she was reminded of how little women and girls were valued. Whether it be a customer attempting to get a look down her dress or a man out shopping who shoved her out of the way, she was told her station. Sit still, look pretty, and don't talk. It was  _sickening_ , having to act like that on a daily basis. She wanted to be able to be messy, be heard, and be more than what she was expected to be. Of course, she never vocalized her wishes, due to the fact that she was terrified of what might happen.

That was before that day.

She'd come back to the brothel after picking up some bread and vegetables from the market to find a man in fancy clothing talking to her mother. Thinking he was just one of the high-paying customers, she'd side-stepped them with her usual grace, only for Candy to grab her arm while one of the other girls took the groceries.

"This is my darlin' Nicolette," Candy had told the man. "She's _exactly_  what y'all are lookin' for. I promise." Nikki had stood straight up, as she'd been taught, letting the man look her over.

"Healthy, young, and… she  _is_ a virgin, right?"

"The only girl in this place who is." Candy had a broad smile that was making her daughter uncomfortable.

"Good. She's reasonably attractive, too." He took a small bag off his belt and handed it to Candy. "She'll do. I expect her waiting out front tomorrow morning before sunrise."

"Of course!" The man left and Nikki turned to her mother, an expression of horror on her face.

"Mom, what the hell?!"

"Hush, Nicolette."

"You told me I didn't have to sell myself! That I wouldn't have to do the things you and the others do!"

"And you  _don't_. He wasn't a customer, sweetheart. He was lookin' for a girl to bring to the palace as a servant."

"As a  _what_?!"

"A servant. He wants a girl who's tough enough to deal with whatever the royals and nobles dish out, but innocent enough to not attract attention. You're the prime candidate here. And he paid for you so well!"

Nikki felt like she'd been punched in the gut.

_My own mother just sold me._

"I'm going to bed," she mumbled.

"Good. You've got a big day tomorrow!"

Nikki headed upstairs, feeling like she was going to throw up. She'd been told for  _years_  how lucky she was to have a mother who didn't sell her for pennies, how she would never have to sell her body like the other girls in the brothel, how she was going to find a good husband one day and be happy for the rest of her life.

All of that was unraveling before her very eyes.

She did throw up that night, at the thought of being forced into servitude.

* * *

 The next morning, before sunrise, her mother woke her. The man had come to take Nikki to the palace, where she would serve as a maid until further notice. She hugged Candy goodbye and was loaded into the wagon. She hugged her knees to her chest, wanting nothing more than to be back in her bed.

"You'll love the palace," the man, who'd introduced himself as Cameron Campbell, told her. "Interesting things to see and do, people to meet—it's a paradise!"

"I want to go home."

"Ah, I should've expected that. Don't worry! The palace will be your home before long!"

She leaned back in the wagon, insuring that she couldn't be seen by passerby. The road to the imperial palace was long and bumpy, though not as unsightly as the country roads she'd seen before. No, the important roads of the Acharyian Empire were paved with stone so that they might last for hundreds of years. This was especially true for the road to the palace, where the royal family lived. Like everyone else, she'd heard the stories.

King Vihaan, strategic and wise, but crueler than most men.

Queen Anaya, beautiful and kind, but silenced by her husband's abuse.

Prince Maximillian, handsome and strong, but with a furious temper.

None of it gave Nikki hope. For all she knew, the royal family could hate her and she'd be dead within a week for bringing the king the wrong kind of wine. Or maybe the prince would use her and have her returned to her mother for failing to satisfy him. The road ahead seemed dark and uncertain. She didn't like it. She hated not having control.

"We're here," Cameron told her. He helped her out of the wagon and led her through a servant's entrance, where a woman with brown hair and a no-nonsense look was waiting.

"Come on," the woman demanded, taking Nikki's arm. "This way."

Nikki was led to a room where three other girls were waiting. Each of them was pretty and seemed more refined than she was. However, they were also wearing clothes that revealed their shoulders and midriffs, clothes that Nikki was handed by the woman who had brought her there. She looked at the woman in confusion before obeying and changing. The mint-haired girl felt… exposed. She didn't like it at all, but she didn't really have a choice in the matter. She either did as she was told or she'd be sent back to her mother in disgrace.

"What's going on?" she asked one of the other girls.

"One of us will be selected to work for the prince!" squealed the blonde. "Whoever's picked is going to be his  _personal_  maid."

"Oh, really? You guys  _want_  to work for him?"

"He's hot," the strawberry blonde sighed, flicking her hair. "Not to mention, he's like,  _eighteen_."

"Ladies, if you don't stop gossiping, none of you are in the running," the brown-haired woman informed them. "Act like the ladies you're supposed to be and prepare to be judged."

The four girls followed her into a small room, where they were lined up in a row. Before long, a woman with reddish-brown hair came into the room and started looking them over. She was accompanied by a boy with pale brown, curly hair and a man with dark red hair. Whereas the three girls who'd arrived before her posed seductively to try for points, Nikki stood quietly, trying not to attract attention to herself. Once the three judging had discussed their options, the woman with reddish-brown hair turned to the girls.

"Which one, Miss Gwen?" the woman who'd brought them in asked the other woman.

"The green-haired one," Gwen replied. "She's perfect."

Nikki stared in shock as the other three girls scoffed their disapproval. Gwen took her by the arm and led her out of that room. The way they were going was obviously a servant's corridor, inaccessible to the visiting nobles and the royal family. After going past a few twists and turns, as well as up a couple of staircases, they arrived in what was quite obviously the prince's room.

"We picked the maid," Gwen announced. Nikki watched as a boy her age with sun-shade skin and curly, fluffy black hair came into view.

_Strawberry Blonde was right. He_ **is** _hot… but that's not important._

"Your Highness," she greeted him, curtsying the way she'd been taught.

"Name?"

"Pardon?" She looked up.

"What's your  _name_?"

"N-Nicolette." He looked away from her.

"Please put her in different clothes. I can't get anything done if she's distracting me."

"Right away, Your Highness," Gwen replied, taking Nikki's hand.

"So, that's Prince Maximillian?" Nikki whispered to Gwen. "He seems… calmer than the rumors say."

"Eh. It's early. He'll be cursing everyone out before long."

"Especially me."

"Nah. He'll go easy on you, since it's your first day. First things first, though, we need to put you in other clothes."

"Even more revealing?"

"No, a hell of a lot  _less_. People seem to forget that the prince is more respectful towards women than his father is. That's why he kept refusing to look at you—because he could tell you were uncomfortable and didn't want to make it worse."

"How long have you known the prince?"

"Since he was about four. My job is to educate him in things like math and literature."

"What about the other two who came to get me?"

"David and Neil? Well, David teaches Max the courtly arts—music, poetry, things like that. Neil's all about science. He's also Max's de facto best friend."

They'd reached a small room where there were two beds. Obviously, this was where Gwen slept. The older woman dug into a trunk that was in the corner of the room and pulled out clothes that were more appropriate for a maid to wear. Nikki felt much more comfortable in them than the 'whore's clothes' she'd been given upon her arrival. It was then that Gwen started giving her the rundown on how things worked.

It boiled down to 'keep your head down and stay out of the king's way if you value your skin or your virginity'. So, yeah, basically the king wasn't a nice guy, which Nikki already knew. They arrived back in the prince's room, where Nikki curtsied to him again.

"That's better," the prince remarked, seeing Nikki's far-more-appropriate clothing. "I assume you know what a maid does?"

"Clean your room, do your laundry, serve your food, and be readily available when you need me, Your Highness," Nikki rattled off.

"Exactly. Man, where the fuck did they find someone actually  _competent_  to be a maid?"

Nikki felt a fluttery feeling in her gut, but chalked it up to being in the presence of royalty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be largely based off the story of Justinian and Theodora. If you don't know who they are, just know that Justinian was an emperor and Theodora was his badass-as-hell wife who single-handedly kept their empire from falling apart when her husband got the plague. It's not going to be exact or accurate, but I don't give a fuck. Not joking, but I would like to point out that the Acharyian Empire isn't a real thing. I made it up. It's supposed to have a Middle-Eastern/Arabian vibe, with a little bit of Indian thrown in (the real Indian, not the Columbus bullshit).
> 
> Yeah, a servant-master pairing.
> 
> No rape, though. At least, not between Nikki and Max. I can't promise that Vihaan can behave.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	2. Prince of the Empire

Being the prince of the empire was the absolute fucking  _worst_.

For starters, his dad was a piece of shit human being who didn't give a damn about the people he ruled. Rather than being the emperor (or king, as he was called often), he wanted nothing more than to spend his days lounging around, having fun, and sleeping with the various concubines he'd brought to the palace over his reign. If he wasn't doing that, he was abusing his wife and son in various ways, despite the fact that Anaya was nothing but submissive towards him and Max was his sole heir to the throne of the empire. That was what made it especially shitty to be the prince.

On top of that, recently, Max's maid had been torn away from her duties as a result of her being made his father's latest concubine. A new batch had been brought forward and one had been selected by his tutors while he did their variety of assignments. They'd returned with a girl who was  _clearly_  uncomfortable in the revealing clothes that she was wearing. She'd curtsied to him and he'd demanded that she be put into clothes that were both more appropriate and more comfortable for her to wear. The girl (Nikki, he'd learned her name to be) appeared frightful at his words, but became more at ease once she came back from changing.

To be honest, he preferred the less-scandalous clothing. It meant she had some sense of shame, rather than flaunting herself like his father's concubines. There was a quiet beauty about her that he'd noticed, one that wasn't as in his face as some of the other maids in the palace. She had a certain level of grace, too, which he noted as she cleaned his room.

"Where are you from?" he asked.

"Your Highness?" she inquired.

"Where are you from, Nikki? It's a simple question."

"Oh… I'm from a small city called Sleepy Peak." She seemed… quiet. Fearful.

"Is it nice?"

"I guess…"

"You don't have to be afraid of me. I just want to know more about you since you're working for me. That's all."

"Oh. Thank you. And I wasn't afraid."

"Bullshit. You were shaking like a fucking leaf."

"Okay, I was a  _little_  afraid. You  _do_  have the power to have me executed at a moment's notice."

"And I'm not gonna do that. You're still new at this and I'm not going to fault you for fucking up a little."

Nikki seemed to instantly relax at those words, her breathing becoming  _visibly_  easier than it had been since she'd begun working for him. Her face brightened a bit as she smiled. He felt his heart pound a little faster at the sight.

_Jesus Christ, you're cute. Stop it._

"Thank you, Your Highness." Nikki curtsied politely. "Is there anything else you need from me?"

"No, nothing really."

"In that case, I'll go take care of anything Gwen needs me to do."

She exited the room and that heart-pounding feeling remained in his chest. He hated the feeling, and yet he didn't want it to go away. Something deep inside told him that this was good, that it was nothing to worry about. But then something else said that it was a problem caused by Nikki being there. Quickly, he squashed  _that_  thought down. If he showed  _any_  dislike of his newest servant, his father would take her as yet another concubine, abused like himself and his mother.

He refused to let it happen.

The young prince stuck his head out the door to find Gwen embroiled in conversation with Nikki. His tutor/governess had a happy expression as she made a sarcastic remark (he  _swore_  up and down that she was the reason his sense of sarcasm was so developed) and Nikki laughed. The sound made that heart-pounding feeling come back, making him smile lightly.

_You're not your father; don't fall for a girl just to sleep with her and toss her aside._

Max went back into his room and sat down at his desk, burying his face in his hands as it heated up. Every fiber of his being was screaming to call Nikki into the room and kiss her, but he crushed those thoughts into the darker corners of his mind. Ever since he was a child, he'd told himself that he would  _never_  become Vihaan, the 'noble emperor of Acharyian people'. He'd actually give a damn about ruling, rather than using his power to further his own pleasure. Max had watched parts of the empire fall apart in rebellion as a result of his father's neglect, and he was determined to be better. When the empire was his, he'd choose a strong queen to stand beside him and prove to the rest of the world that the empire wasn't the fucking joke it'd been during Vihaan's reign.

_Maybe Nikki could be that queen. You elevate a peasant girl to the throne and the people will stand behind you._

_She seems too submissive._

_She's afraid of you._

_And she's right to be. She's obviously heard the stories of my family._

_Teach her not to be. Be her friend._

_I have no idea how to interact with women._

_Show her that she's important and she'll come around! I promise!_

_I'll try._

* * *

"You want me to do what?"

"Teach Nikki to read."

"Max, she's a servant. Unless she's a tutor, she's not supposed to learn to read. Especially since she's a woman."

"And that's  _exactly_  why I want you to teach her."

"If your father finds out—"

"If he does, I'll take the blame."

"No! You're his heir! He won't kill you, but he'll sure as hell beat you half to death!"

"I'm willing to take that risk, even if  _you_  aren't."

Gwen gazed at the boy she'd helped raise since he was a toddler and saw the determination in his blue-green eyes. Once a thought got into his head, it'd take the forces of heaven and hell to get it back out again. She knew that for a fact. If he wanted Nikki to learn how to read, then he was going to make sure she learned how to read. It was either go along with it or stay the fuck out of his way.

"All right, fine. I'll help, but let's just make sure this doesn't get out."

"What doesn't get out?"

The two turned to see Nikki in the doorway. She had her hair pulled away from her face—the bun put in by Gwen just that morning—except for a few loose strands, which framed her face. Overall, she looked messy and tired, but to Max, she looked beautiful. Once again, he found himself crushing down thoughts of bringing her close to him and kissing her until she couldn't breathe right.

"I want you to learn how to read," he told her.

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah. You'll be more useful if you know how to read."

"I know the alphabet. And I can read basic things. Mom said I had to, in order to help her keep track of receipts and appointments."

"So we have something to work with," Gwen sighed in relief.

"It's not much."

"But it's enough."

The two women exited the room. Nikki gave Max a smile over her shoulder and his heart pounded in his chest.

_You've fallen for her._

_Shut up. She's got a nice smile, that's all._

_And a sweet ass. You were staring._

_I was not._

_You're talking to a voice in your head, who can tell everything that goes on._

_Okay, so what if I was staring? That's normal, right?_

_Of course, but you're an imperial prince. She's just a maid._

Max pushed that thought out of his head.

* * *

Together, they made their way through the palace garden. It was the jewel of the imperial palace, well-tended and beautiful to all who visited. Max sometimes hated it there, but it was quieter than anywhere else. Nobody would come all the way out to his spot to find him, and Nikki being there would be easily explained by the fact that he was required to have a servant with him at all times. Usually, it was David, who'd wander off long enough for Max to work through whatever was on his mind. Despite the annoyance that the music tutor was, he was good at reading Max's mood. Today, however, he was going to work with Nikki on her reading.

"How much farther?" Nikki asked.

"Not far. Trust me, we don't want any of this to be overheard."

"Why not?"

"Servants aren't supposed to be able to read. Especially if they're women."

"That's stupid. If they're able to read, then they'll be able to do a lot more."

Ever since he'd had Gwen start teaching her, Nikki had lost her shy, quiet nature. Instead, she was more brash, outspoken, and had a certain degree of fire to her personality. Max was sure  _this_  was the real Nikki, rather than the fearful girl he'd met on that first day. She was also a rather happy person, which brightened his day considerably when she'd tell jokes or help him play a prank on one of his tutors.

"We're here," he told her.

It wasn't much. It was a large tree in the middle of a clearing with low branches, perfect for climbing. This was where he'd escaped his royal duties since he was a young child, and it was a spot very few knew about.

"It's awesome!" she gasped, running to the tree. She climbed the trunk like a squirrel and sat on one of the branches. He followed her up, setting down the bag that contained the few books he'd brought with them.

"You wanna get started?"

"Yeah."

And so they sat there, talking quietly as he taught his favorite servant to read better than she'd been able to before. Conversation flowed naturally, smiles on both of their faces as he lightly corrected her. For the first time in his life, he felt comfortable with another person. To the many people who worked in the palace, the prince would've been unrecognizable as the spiteful, sarcastic, hate-fueled and foul-mouthed boy who roamed the halls, arguing with his parents and snapping at those who came across him when he was in one of his moods. No,  _this_  prince was kind, noble, and patient, a complete turnaround.

"That's enough for now," he told her. They climbed down the tree and laid in the grass, watching the sky.

"I never thought I'd end up like this," she commented.

"You mean a maid in the royal palace?"

"I mean treated like a human rather than a plaything."

"What are you talking about?"

"The way your dad treats women—it's not exactly uncommon. In fact, most of the men I met before coming here were the same way. They all expect me to be quiet and fearful and submissive, to become nothing but a whore or a housewife. That's all women out there can become."

"Didn't you say your mother was a businesswoman?"

"She owns a brothel in Sleepy Peak. I never had to become one of the 'girls', but Mom had me doing a lot of records and shopping."

"Well, that honestly sounds like it really fucking sucks."

"It's just the way things are. Nothing's going to change unless someone does something."

"I'm going to. Once I become emperor, I'll make things better, I promise."

"Yeah, if your empress will let you."

"…what if it was you?" She sat up, shocked.

"What did you just say?" He sighed and sat back up, running a hand through his curls.

"The real reason I wanted you to learn to read was because… I like you, Nikki. You make me feel like I'm not such a piece of shit. Really, you're the best thing in my little world right now."

"Max…"

"And I was hoping that maybe one day, you could become my empress. What do you say?"

"I'd ask if that's a proposal, Your Highness."

"Yes, it's a proposal."

"Then, yes. I'd love to become your empress."

He scooted closer to her, the fingers of their hands intertwining as they leaned towards each other, eyes closed before their lips met in the middle. A spark of passion passed between the two, illuminated by the fading afternoon sun.

What they didn't know was that they were being watched by one of the court priests—the man in charge of sacrifices. His name was Daniel, and he was loyal to only King Vihaan. He slunk away to tell the king what he'd seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daniel's back. Back again. Daniel's back. Tell a friend.
> 
> In all seriousness, this chapter actually highlights one of my Camp Camp tropes: Max's internal dialogue. I'd call it a monologue, but he's talking to a little voice in his head. Who doesn't do that, though?
> 
> For those of you who think the relationship is moving too fast, consider the time period they're living in. Life-spans were much shorter back then, and Max wants to secure Nikki as his before Vihaan can take her by force. It's both because he loves her and because he knows that Vihaan would rape Nikki the second he got the chance.
> 
> Which, you know… might still happen.
> 
> I'm basing Vihaan off Joffrey from Game of Thrones, by the way—whiny, bratty, obsessive, possessive… and just an all-around asshole son-of-a-bitch bastard.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	3. The Emperor

There was nothing Vihaan loved more than being emperor.

He had absolute power over hundreds of thousands, if not  _millions_  of people, and he didn't even have to do anything for them. On the contrary, they all served him faithfully and without question. Another perk of the job was the fact that he could have as many concubines as he wanted. Anaya and his marriage had long since lost that spark it initially had. Sometimes they'd go for days without seeing each other. The only reason she was still around was because she was the official empress and had given him a son and heir. That son turned out to be cynical and disrespectful—something he definitely blamed his wife for.

"Your Majesty!"

He looked to see one of the sacrifice priests approaching him—Daniel.

"What is it, Daniel?"

"I was just in the garden and your son was there. He didn't see me, but he was preoccupied with his maid."

"His  _maid_?"

"The new one that was hired a few months ago. They were talking and Prince Maximillian asked her to  _marry him_!"

Vihaan quickly stood up; his son wanted to marry a  _peasant_?!

"Daniel, this had best be true."

"I saw it with my own eyes. He also kissed her!"

The emperor narrowed his eyes and called for one of the guards. He instructed the man to bring in Anaya, Gwen, and Max's new maid. Within an hour, the people requested were brought into the throne room, where the court had convened out of sheer curiosity. Max's friend and his other tutor were standing there, both looking extremely nervous as Vihaan viewed his son's love interest.

The girl was young—perhaps seventeen or eighteen. Her hair was long, curly, and a pale green color which went well with her large, round magenta eyes. She wasn't very tall, but she had wide hips and decent-sized breasts hidden beneath her conservative dress. Vihaan noted how the girl held herself, as if she were strong-willed and unwilling to bend to anyone's command. The fact that she had a pretty face didn't hurt, either. The emperor could see how his son had fallen for this girl.

However, that didn't change the fact that she'd seduced his son.

"Bring her forward!" he commanded. She was brought to him and thrown against the marble floor. Still, she remained defiant as she looked up at him.

"Bow, you harlot!" demanded Daniel. She did so, seemingly playing along.

"What's your name?" Vihaan asked her.

"Nikki," she replied. Her voice was slightly soothing.

"Well, then, Nikki, do you know why you're here?"

"No, Your Majesty."

"You're here because you think you can take the throne." Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock. "I will have you know that you are a  _peasant_. Therefore, you cannot become the sole ruler of our empire. My bow."

Daniel handed the king his bow and he aimed it at the girl's face. She tried to scramble away but a guard held her in place as she struggled.

"I could kill you right now, for this violation of the law," he chuckled. "But I think it's better to remind the court how women like you—women born of whores—should be treated."

"Your Majesty!" gasped Anaya.

"Silence, Anaya! This is between me and the girl!" He lowered his bow and nodded to the guard holding Nikki. "Unburden her."

The guard ripped open Nikki's dress, exposing her to the court. She tried to cover herself with the remnants of the top part, but instead, the guard kicked her to the ground. Wordlessly, she began sobbing.

"Leave her face. I like her pretty."

With a sickening grin, the guard pulled out his sword and prepared to cut the poor girl's arm.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO HER?!"

The gathered courtiers parted to allow the prince through. He wore the cloak he always wore when facing his father, and this time that face-off was with murderous intent on both sides.

"I'm punishing her for seducing you, thinking she could usurp the throne." Max growled and shoved the guard aside, his demeanor changing to something more gentle as he knelt beside Nikki and took her hand.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

"I'm fine," she mumbled. He took off his cloak and draped it around her, hiding her body from sight before standing.

"Son," Vihaan stated in a warning tone.

"Shut up. She hasn't done anything wrong."

"According to Daniel, the two of you were alone in the garden, and he saw the two of you being rather intimate."

"So what if I kissed her?"

"She's the daughter of a whore! A woman like that could never be empress! She's better off as one of my concubines!"

"Don't you  _dare_  touch her." Max's tone was low, sending shivers through the spines of many of those gathered. "She's not going to be one of your harem."

"Oh, really? And why's that?"

"Because I already asked her to marry me. She accepted my proposal."

Shocked gasps rippled through the crowd, frantic whispers filling the air.

"Y-you didn't!"

"Just because  _you_  can't find love without beating the shit out of somebody doesn't mean I can't. I'm going to marry her." He helped Nikki to her feet and held her close before glaring at his father. "Let it be."

Vihaan watched his son bring the girl out of the throne room.

_She'll be mine, boy, and I'll enjoy breaking her._

* * *

"Did he hurt you?"

"Not badly. My arms hurt a little from being tossed around, though." Max sighed.

He and Nikki were alone in his room. Gwen, David, and Neil had respectfully let them be after what had happened in the throne room. Gently, Max kissed her forehead and held her close, relieved that she hadn't been hurt worse.

"That bastard's going to get what's coming to him, I promise."

"You're not going to kill him, are you?"

"I might have to, Nik. The empire's on the verge of falling apart, and somebody needs to step up to fix things or there's going to be war." She hugged him tightly, despite the pain in her body, not wanting to let go.

"Why doesn't he rule the empire like he should?"

"Because he's an asshole. The sooner he's off the throne, the better it is for everyone. And then I can get started on making things better."

"You know, I heard a story of an emperor long ago. He married an actress against his aunt's wishes, and she turned out to be a great asset when he caught a horrible plague. She single-handedly kept the empire together while her husband healed."

"So are you saying you want to be like them?"

"I want to be the person you turn to when you need comfort or advice. That's what an empress should be. I want to be the empress because I love you."

"I love you, too."

They leaned towards each other, their lips meeting in the middle as Max gently laid her down beneath him. She clung to him like he was the only thing good in her world, which broke his heart a bit. She was the only thing that was keeping him going right now, and she was the only thing he needed. To the two of them, there was nobody else in the world. It was just the two of them, and that was all they really needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so things are getting a little warmed up here. The smut is coming, I promise! I just need to figure out what the situation is going to be. Obviously, it's not going to be a direct follow-up to this because Max isn't going to have sex with her when she's just been through something like what happened with Vihaan. He's got more class than that and he wants her to be happy and safe over anything else.
> 
> Please leave a comment to tell me what you liked! In fact, leave a comment with your suggestion on how to kill off Vihaan (not a spoiler, because we all knew it was going to happen). I've had a suggestion to use poisoned wine like in Game of Thrones, but I think we can be a little more creative than that, people.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	4. Death in the Night

Max sat up in the middle of the night. He glanced to his right to see Nikki asleep, curled up and more peaceful than he felt. His throat tightened as he realized that she had several bruises on her body that were visible in the light of the full moon. Obviously, she'd been handled roughly by the guard who'd pulled a sword on her after  _ripping open her dress in front of the whole court_.

_It's your fault she got hurt._

_My father is an asshole._

_If you hadn't proposed to her, this wouldn't have happened._

_I love her too much._

_You should've killed that guard._

_Oh, I'm going to._

He quietly slid out of bed, freezing as Nikki stirred slightly. She rolled over, mumbling about wolves, before settling back down.

_Fucking hell, you're adorable._

The prince went for his desk, where he opened a drawer to reveal a silver dagger. It had been a gift from his father on his tenth birthday, where the man had said that every boy should have a weapon to defend himself with. Or to kill his enemies with stealth. It was the latter that Max was concerned with. He'd memorized the guard's face back in the throne room, and that particular guard happened to be in charge of his wing of the castle at night.

How fortunate for Max.

Quickly, he slipped into the hall, waiting patiently for the guard to come by. If he remembered correctly, the guard's name was Jason, and he was a nobleman's son who'd wanted to prove himself worthy of being near the imperial family. He did whatever Vihaan said without question, leading many to believe he was just desperate. But Max had seen the look in Jason's eyes when he raised his sword to Nikki. They were full of lust and pleasure, as if he  _enjoyed_  hurting her. That was the simple fact that had pushed Max's decision to murder him.

Footsteps approached Max's hiding place. He glanced outwards long enough to see Jason approaching. A sick grin was on the nobleman's face.

"I wonder if the prince has that harlot in his bed," he mused under his breath. "Maybe I can get a turn when he's done. That's all girls like that are good for."

_That's it. You die_ **now** _._

Max dashed from the shadows and gripped Jason from behind, plunging his blade into the man's chest. Jason let out a gag as he coughed up blood. The Acharyian prince released his victim and let him fall to the floor. The blood flowed, staining the marble. For a second, Max considered hiding the body, but he quickly realized that Jason could still serve a purpose.

_A warning, to anybody who thinks Nikki is nothing more than a 'whorish peasant'._

He entered his bedroom, making sure there was no blood visible, before cleaning his dagger with a cloth. The cloth itself was stained red. Out of pure necessity, he burned it to get rid of any evidence linking him to the crime.

_You wouldn't get in trouble, anyway; he's a nobleman, but he had no status._

_His family is dead; nobody will truly mourn his loss._

_He deserved what happened to him._

_I hope he burns in hell._

Max slid back into bed, pulling Nikki close. She mumbled in her sleep, nuzzling her face into his chest. In response, he buried his nose in her hair. It had a surprisingly delicate scent of wild honey and roses, an aroma that was comforting to his addled mind. Not to mention she was warm and soft in his arms, providing some semblance of security and love he'd never really felt from anyone else. Not even his own mother. She'd handed him off to a nurse as soon as he was born and he'd been largely raised by David and Gwen. He was endlessly grateful for them, but Nikki was different.

She'd be the empress one day, when he took over the empire.

* * *

"Your Highness!"

Max groaned and covered his head with his pillow. Gwen was frantic, which could only mean that Jason's body had been discovered. Nikki shifted and he felt her sit up. She pulled the pillow away and he could see she had a worried expression.

"Max, Gwen says one of the guards was murdered last night," she whispered.

"I know."

"You  _know_?"

"I'm the one who killed him." She stared at him, her eyes wide with shock as he sat up.

"Y-you killed him? Why?"

"He was the guard who hurt you."

"He was just following your father's orders."

"No, Nik. He  _enjoyed_  hurting you. I could see it on his face when I stepped in, and last night, he was making comments about you.  _Nobody_  should talk about you that way. I left his body as a warning."

She was quiet, staring at her hands.

"…I want you to promise me something, Max. Can you do that?"

"Of course. Anything."

"Promise me you won't kill anybody like that again."

"Why?"

"It's not who you are. You're a prince with a bit of a mean streak, but you're not a murderer. I'm scared you'll start down a bad path if you keep killing like that. So  _what_  if people call me a whore? I was raised in a brothel."

"Did… did you have to—?"

"Oh, hell no. I never performed 'services' for customers."

"Then you're not a whore."

"My mother was."

"The mother does not define the daughter." She smiled, then returned to her serious expression.

"Max, do you  _promise_  not to kill anyone just for making obscene comments about me? That includes beating them up."

"Okay, fine. I promise." He kissed her gently on the cheek.

"Ahem!" Gwen coughed. They turned to face her.

"How long have you been standing there?" Max asked.

"Long enough. Trust me, you did the palace a favor by killing that guy."

"So why were you so frantic?"

"Because I thought it was an assassin who killed the guard to go after you. Now I know it was just you, which is far less worrying. Besides, the bastard got what was coming to him."

"Max promised he won't do anything like this again," Nikki chimed in.

"Oh, how are you feeling?"

"A little sore, but fine otherwise."

"That's to be expected. Jason was always an asshole, even before he became part of the emperor's guard." She smiled. "I'll leave you two alone for a little bit."

* * *

A week later, it was evident that word of Max and Nikki's relationship had spread throughout the palace. Suddenly, she was treated as if she were nobility rather than a common girl, and the servants who'd once sneered at her for being the daughter of a whore now bowed and scraped to please her. It was disconcerting at first, but she adapted rather quickly. Life at the palace was surprisingly peaceful. She still didn't feel comfortable, though, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was going to become empress of one of the most powerful empires in the world.

No, it had entirely to do with her future father-in-law.

Ever since that day at the court, she'd felt Vihaan watching her often. A few times, she'd seen him staring with a look she was all too familiar with, thanks to being raised in a brothel. Max gave her that look sometimes, too, but it was usually when they were alone at night after they'd kissed each other breathless. But Vihaan… he didn't have any of Max's gentleness. He had pure lust in his eyes when he looked at her, as if she were nothing more than a girl to occupy his bed for the night. She'd never told Max about it out of fear that he'd do something drastic, but it was the sole reason she felt unsafe in the imperial palace. The girl wanted nothing more than to just  _enjoy_  being engaged to somebody who actually loved her, and that she loved back, but with Vihaan's predatory gaze on her, she couldn't.

More than once, he'd approached her and asked her to be a part of his harem of concubines. Each time she'd turned him down, quickly running for Max or Gwen or David or Neil—somebody who wouldn't allow His Imperial Majesty to lay hands on her, despite their station. Not to mention that Daniel had suggested she allow her body to be used for sacrifice, should she continue to reject the emperor. Every day was full of fear and anxiety, making her wonder why she continued to stay in a place like this.

Then she'd go to bed and remember that she had somebody who loved her beyond reason.

He'd killed a man for hurting her and making obscene comments.

He'd stood before the entire imperial court and declared they were engaged.

He'd faced his father and rebuked him for daring to lay a finger on her.

Max was the sole thing in her little world that kept her going now, reminding her that not everyone wanted Vihaan to remain emperor. He'd taught her to read, to write, how to fight. She felt safest with him. Besides that, she'd learned that there was a limit to the number of wives the emperor could have. One empress and eleven concubines. Vihaan had reached that limit right before Nikki came to the palace, so as long as nothing happened, Vihaan couldn't touch her.

Then Queen Anaya died and all hell broke loose in the palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is in response to Bigmike33321, who seemed disappointed I didn't kill the guard in the last chapter. Also, we need to get the plot rolling, so bye, Anaya; you will never get character development in any of my stories. You are just Max's terrible birth mother who I either kill off or ignore the existence of.
> 
> Still open to suggestions on how to kill off Vihaan! So far I've gotten poisoning and stabbing, but I'd like to hear more of what you all think!
> 
> Anyway, the rape/non-con tag will come into play soon.
> 
> About the law limiting the number of wives in the harem—I needed a reason that Vihaan couldn't force Nikki (besides the obvious Max-will-snap-his-fucking-neck thing). A lot of stories I read about these cultures that allow multiple wives don't mention whether or not there's a limit to the number of wives. It just says that they can have a lot of wives. *shrugs* Probably one of the more tragic (although most likely fictional) stories of a concubine that I've read was "Magpies", which was part of The Joy-LuckClub by Amy Tan. It's really sad and you should give it a read if you can.
> 
> Next time, hell breaks loose in the palace because Vihaan can now take another wife.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish.


	5. Anaya

"Excuse me, Your Highness."

Max looked up to see Jen, one of his mother's servants, standing before him.

"What is it?" he asked. He was looking through reports from the edges of the empire, since his father seemed reluctant to do so.

"I'm afraid… your mother is sick. Very sick. She's… she's requested to see you and your fiancée."

Immediately, Max set down the reports and followed Jen to his mother's chambers. Nikki joined them just before they reached the chambers and Jen stopped at the door.

"Call me in if she worsens," she told the prince and future princess. "I'll leave the three of you alone."

Nodding, the two young adults entered the queen's chambers. The room reeked of the herbal cures that the court doctors used, none of which tended to smell very good. Anaya's bed-curtains were drawn, hiding her condition from the outside world. Max felt his chest tighten. Despite the fact that she'd done little to raise him herself, she'd been the one to bring David, Gwen, and Neil to the palace. And she  _was_  his mother. She'd brought him into the world.

"Mom?" he whispered, approaching the bed and moving the curtain aside. Anaya was lying there, her chest rising and falling sharply. Her breathing was shallow, and her eyes were glazed with fever.

"Maximillian?" she mumbled.

"I'm right here."

"Where's your girl?"

"She's here, too." Nikki stood beside him, looking worried.

"Good." Anaya coughed. "You don't look anything like your father. Except for your hair."

"He doesn't act like him, either," Nikki murmured.

"Yes." Anaya had a faraway look on her face. "I know the two of you are very much in love. Something Vihaan and I never had. The one good thing that bastard gave me was Max."

"Y-you called me Max."

"Isn't that the name you prefer?" She smiled weakly. "Nikki, dear, open the drawer of my nightstand."

Nikki did as she was told and found a small box.

"That was my mother's engagement gift. She was lucky and found true love with my father. I pass it on to you in hopes for your marriage. I'm not going to live long enough to see it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Call me Mom or Anaya." Anaya coughed again before turning her fever-glazed gaze on her son. "And Max, I know you'll do more for this empire than your father ever did. I'll be watching you from the next world."

"Mom…"

"Goodbye, son."

She started coughing furiously, to the point where Max knew she wasn't getting nearly enough air. Nikki ran to get Jen, who escorted the two out of the room before attending to the queen. Max held his fiancée close as several court doctors entered the room, trying to save their empress's life. Deep down, he knew that it was futile. His mother was going to die today. She'd known that and called for him one last time to say goodbye. Nikki squeezed him tightly, comforting him slightly as a wail came from inside the queen's chambers—a wail from Jen.

Queen Anaya of the Acharyian Empire was dead.

* * *

 The funeral took place a few days later. Anaya's body was placed on a pyre, arranged as if she were alive and asleep. Vihaan was there—out of courtesy, Max suspected—and he didn't speak as the subjects of the empire loudly mourned the death of the queen. Vihaan's first concubine was now empress. Thankfully for Max, none of Vihaan's concubines had any children, so Max was still the sole heir of the empire. Unfortunately, that meant that Vihaan was free to take another wife.

The prince noted the look his father was giving Nikki, who wore the necklace that Anaya had given her. His blood boiled with rage. Vihaan was not known for his good treatment of women—especially his wives. And those were just the girls he'd married. Rumors at the palace said that Vihaan sometimes took likings to servant girls and forced himself on them. Max had no doubt in his mind that the emperor had similar plans for Nikki. It was sickening, knowing that his father was such an asshole. He doubted that Vihaan would respect his and Nikki's engagement as he had when Anaya was alive—which was just barely. Nikki thought Max didn't know about Vihaan asking her to be a concubine, but he knew.

He knew and he was  _angry_.

Angry that his own fiancée wasn't safe with him.

Angry that his father was so depraved.

Angry that the empire seemed to be falling apart.

Angry that his mother would likely be forgotten.

"Max."

He turned to see Nikki, giving him a worried look.

"It's time to light the pyre. What's wrong?"

"I'm just… thinking. It's fine." He picked up the torch at the foot of the pyre and lit the kindling at the bottom. Flames licked the wood as it burned, eventually enveloping Anaya's body. Smoke curled into the air, sending her soul towards the next world. A strange sense of calm filled him as it burned. Once it was nothing but ash, he and Nikki headed back towards the palace. Her hand slipped into his and he could feel the worst of his anger evaporating.

He had his Nikki, and everything was fine.

* * *

 "Gwen, I'm bored."

Gwen laughed as she looked at Nikki. The green-haired girl was splayed on her and Max's bed, staring at the ceiling. Max had been called away to handle business elsewhere in preparation for becoming emperor, so Nikki was by herself for now. He'd secretly asked Gwen to keep Nikki away from Vihaan at all costs. The tutor had whole-heartedly agreed; she didn't trust the looks that the king gave Nikki when he thought nobody was paying attention. Granted, Max gave Nikki those same looks, but usually, they were preceded by Max and Nikki making out for half an hour. Vihaan's weren't warranted by anything of the sort.

"Well, if you're bored, you can help me in the library. You still have a lot to learn about the history of the empire before you marry Max. Speaking of which, have you two made _any_  plans?"

"Not yet. Max says he wants to become emperor before he marries me to be sure I'll be empress instead of one of his father's concubines."

There was double meaning to that—both that one of Vihaan's concubines wouldn't sit on the throne as empress and that Max wanted to ensure Nikki didn't become one of them. Still, the two women headed to the library, where Gwen began to tidy up some of the books. Noblemen had no respect for the written word and left everything everywhere.

Nikki, on the other hand, picked up a book on the empire's history and settled down in a corner. She let herself be dragged into the story of a great battle of the past. The door to the library opened and closed without her noticing. It wasn't until she was grabbed roughly by a pair of guards that she even knew she and Gwen weren't alone. She screamed in horror as she caught sight of Gwen, slumped over and bleeding from the temple.

Next thing she knew, she was tossed onto the king's bed, where he was waiting with a predatory look.

"Now, you little bitch, you're mine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAAAH!
> 
> CLIFFHANGER, BITCH!
> 
> Gwen's not dead, don't worry.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	6. Breaking Point

A feeling of dread filled Max as he entered the palace. It was hauntingly quiet, which unnerved him as he walked down the hall to his room. Suddenly, he saw Neil burst out of the library, looking frantic and terrified. The skinny man caught sight of the prince and rushed towards him.

"Max!" he gasped.

"Neil, what's going on?"

"Gwen was attacked in the library and I can't find Nikki!"

"Attacked?!"

"She was knocked out and bleeding from the head when I found her. And Nikki was with her and now she's gone!"

Max's heart stopped for a moment before it began pounding with rage.

"Get help for Gwen. I think I know what happened to Nikki."

The low tone of Max's voice sent chills down Neil's spine, which compelled him to do as he was told. He watched as the prince turned on his heel and headed back down the hallway, turning again down the hall that Neil  _knew_  led to the emperor's room.

Max felt his blood boiling as he neared his father's bedroom. A pair of guards were stationed outside and they barred him from entering.

"Sorry, Your Highness," one guard stated. "You aren't allowed in. The emperor is busy."

"Like hell he is!" Max kicked the guard in the chest, sending him sprawling in the hall. The other guard attempted to rush him, but Max unsheathed his dagger and slashed the guard's face before kicking him in the balls.

There was nothing in his way now.

He opened the door and what he saw made his heart drop.

Nikki was on the bed, obviously being held against her will by ropes tied to the bedposts. A gag was in her mouth to keep her from crying out, but that didn't stop the tears that were pouring down her face. Her dress had been ripped open to reveal her body without modesty. Vihaan was leaning over her, untying the strings that kept his pants up while holding her legs open with his knees. Nikki spotted Max and tried to call out, but the gag stopped her words. The emperor slapped her for trying to speak.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO HER?!" Max yelled. That got Vihaan's attention, and the royal man jumped backwards. Max shoved him off the bed before using his dagger to cut Nikki free. She ripped the gag out of her mouth and curled up, sobbing and covering her exposed body.

"Why must you ruin my fun?" Vihaan groaned, looking at his son.

"Your fun? Your  _fun_?! You think  _raping_  girls  _more than half your age_ is fucking  _fun_?!"

"Please. She's used to it. She was raised in a brothel. I'm hardly the first man to touch her, and I'm sure you aren't the first, either. Women are nothing more than vehicles for our pleasure and a means to reproduce. They're worthless otherwise."

Something snapped inside Max's mind. Almost twenty years of pain, sadness, fury, and rage bubbled to the surface and he knew that either he or Vihaan was going to die today.

And he'd be damned if he let that  _fucking depraved pervert_  lay another  _finger_  on Nikki.

Quickly, Max tried to stab his father. Vihaan, though not expecting it, dodged it with ease. He grabbed his own dagger and did the same to Max. However, it had been a long time since the emperor had been in any sort of actual fight. His son, on the other hand, had trained daily to make sure he was prepared for anything. Not to mention Max was almost twenty years old, and his father was pushing forty-five. Physically and mentally, Max had the advantage.

Unfortunately, Vihaan caught him off-guard and knocked him to the ground.

"I wish you'd never been born," hissed Vihaan, pressing his blade into Max's neck. The prince pushed back, trying to survive to the best of his ability as he kicked his father in the gut. Vihaan wheezed and fell off, holding the spot where Max's foot had made contact. The younger man then held down his elder, his foot on the man's throat.

"And I wish you'd died  _years_  ago. Maybe then this empire wouldn't be in such deep shit!"

"You never  _did_  respect your elders!"

"Maybe I would've, if you'd given me something to respect!"

"I gave you  _plenty_  to respect!"

"You mean raping innocent girls?! Forcing people out of their homes so you can build  _monuments to yourself_?! Killing  _anyone_  who suggests that you do something  _constructive_  for your people?!"

"I'm the emperor! I do what  _I_  want!" He managed to turn his head to look at Nikki, who was staring at the scene with hollow, empty eyes. "And it looks like that bitch of yours is finally  _broken_! It's just too bad I didn't get to fuck her before you got here."

Max lost it. In a rush of adrenaline, he brought his dagger down, plunging it into Vihaan's left eye. The man let out a howl of pain, screaming for help and mercy that his attacker wasn't willing to give. Again and again Max brought down the blade into his father's chest, right at the heart. It didn't take long for the emperor to stop breathing. But Max didn't stop. All he could see was red, the rage and fury he'd held in for so long  _finally_ being released. He couldn't bring himself to calm down and didn't  _want_  to calm down.

A gentle, shaking hand rested on his arm.

He turned to see Nikki, wrapped in the blankets from the bed, staring at him with a hollow, broken look. But deep in those magenta eyes that had lost their sparkle, he could see fear and worry. The dagger dropped to the floor with a clatter, spattering blood on the carpet, but he didn't care as he trembled and stared at his hands. They were stained with the blood of his father, who laid dead a hundred times over right there. He got off of the corpse and collapsed, breathing heavily as the gravity of what had just transpired washed over him.

"Nikki, I am  _so sorry_ ," he whispered hoarsely. "I should have  _never_  left you alone. I should have taken you with me. I should have gotten here sooner. I should have…"

_Killed the bastard a long time ago._

"I broke my promise. Nikki, I broke my promise. I'm  _so, so, so sorry_." He looked at her and she said nothing—she just stared at the dagger on the floor. "How badly did he hurt you? Let me see your wrists."

Wordlessly, she held out her arms to reveal there was still rope tied around her wrists. He began to work at the knots, trying to untie them and get the rope off. He didn't want to use a dagger; he was afraid he'd cut her by accident. He didn't trust himself with the blade. Once the rope was off, there were slight marks where it had pressed into her skin, but her wrists were otherwise fine. There were slight cuts at the corners of her mouth to show where the gag had been too tight. Those weren't the things that worried him.

It was the broken look in her eyes.

His beautiful, strong, outspoken Nikki had been broken by his father.

"Come on. Let's get back to our room and get you some clothes." He gently helped her to her feet before wrapping the blankets around her more tightly. With as little contact as possible, he led her down the hall and into their bedroom. She laid down on the bed, covering herself entirely with the blankets and refusing to show herself.

A knock sounded at the door.

"What is it?" Max asked. It was a guard—Edward Pikeman, if he remembered correctly.

One of the good ones.

"Your Highness, there were sounds of a struggle earlier."

"I'm aware. The emperor is dead."

"You don't seem alarmed."

"That's because I killed him." He stepped into the hallway, closing the door quietly.

"Why would you kill your father?"

"He tried to rape Nikki. He wasn't able to get that far, but he would've if I hadn't shown up when I did." Max's voice cracked with emotion. "It still did damage. She's… not okay."

"Sir, I completely understand. My own betrothed… I don't know what I'd do if something happened to her. But there was more than that, wasn't there?"

"He beat me and my mother almost daily for sixteen years, even longer for her. He neglected the empire he was supposed to rule and protect. He refused to give a damn about anyone but  _him-fucking-self_. The list goes on. He's had it coming for  _years_  now. What happened today with Nikki was just my breaking point."

"Should I have his body removed?"

"Yeah. And find out which guards brought Nikki to him today, because there's no way that asshole would've grabbed her himself. They're going on trial as soon as I'm crowned emperor and I want them in the dungeon."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Pikeman left and Max re-entered the room. Nikki was still motionless on the bed. Out of worry, he tapped what he  _hoped_  was her shoulder.

"Nikki?"

"Why?" she croaked. The blankets shifted down to reveal her tear-stained face. "Why did he want  _me_ , Max?"

"I don't know, Nik." He wanted to reach out and touch her, to kiss her, to reassure her that everything was fine, but he couldn't. After what had happened, she wouldn't want to be touched in any way and  _nothing_  was fine. He couldn't lie to her.

"I just want to feel safe," she mumbled. "And now you're going to send me back to Sleepy Peak."

"No."

"Yes, you  _are_. You need your wife to be a pure, untouched virgin, and I'm damaged goods."

"I'm  _not_ sending you back to your mother. I'm not sending you anywhere."

"But…"

"Nikki, I don't give a single  _shit_  if you're damaged goods.  _It's not your fault_."

"I must've done something to provoke him."

"You didn't do  _anything_. Okay? You've been hurt in one of the worst possible ways, and by one of the fucking  _worst_  of humanity.  _It's not your fault_. And you know something else? Even  _if_  you think you're damaged goods—which you are  _not_ —I'm still keeping you here. You know why?"

"Because I'm good for keeping your bed warm?"

"Because  _I love you_. God, Nik, I love you so much that seeing you like this is tearing me apart inside. You're a beautiful, strong, happy, and outspoken woman who stole my heart and is going to have if forever. I don't want you like this."

"Depressed?"

"Hurt and broken. I'm going to go get a maid to bring you some clothes and then I'm going to stay right here for the rest of the day."

"What about your father? Don't you have to tell the court he's dead?"

"I'll do that tomorrow. Right now,  _you_ are the most important thing in the world to me."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently.

_Everything will get better eventually. I promise._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides from rotten tomatoes*
> 
> I regret nothing.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	7. Beginning to Heal

_"Now, you little bitch, you're mine."_

_Nikki tried to scramble away from the emperor, panic flooding her entire being. He grabbed her, pulling her back towards him and using his weight to hold her in place as he wrapped ropes around her wrists and tied them to the bedposts. With a sickening grin, he tied a gag around her mouth._

_"Don't want you screaming just yet, slut. I'm gonna make you good and tight before I pound into you. You're used to it after being raised in a whorehouse, aren't you?"_

_She wanted to cry for help, but she knew nobody would come. The servants were loyal to Vihaan; they wouldn't do anything to stop him. If anything, they'd hold her down to make it even easier for him._

_Suddenly, the gag was lifted from her mouth. She felt slightly relieved until he forced his mouth onto hers. His breath was hot and rancid, making her want to gag before he shoved his tongue into her mouth. The emperor's hands found the front of her dress and ripped it open, exposing all of her—parts she'd only let Max see late at night—to him. There was a hungry look in his eye as he trailed his hands down her belly and his mouth left hers. The gag was put back in her mouth._

_"You've got a beautiful and sexy body, slut. Shame you only want to give it to my worthless son. You'll never satisfy him." Vihaan's hands grabbed her breasts, squeezing them tightly and roughly. "And these I've been dreaming about since that day at court. I bet after that little display, you and my son went back to his room and fucked like rabbits."_

_She could feel the will to fight back leaving her body, replaced by a feeling of hopelessness. His hands traveled down again as he flipped her over as much as he could to get a look at her ass._

_"Ooh, damn. I guess it's time for my favorite part of these little sessions, huh?"_

_Nikki wanted to cry; she wanted to be back in her room, with Max._

_Vihaan smacked her ass, making her cry out. Her cry was muffled by the cloth in her mouth as he did it again and again, harder each time. Every bit of pain seemed to bring him joy, which only made him hit her harder. He turned her again so she was facing up and leaned against her body. A growing bulge in his pants pressed against her as he thrusted into her thigh, the bulge only growing harder as he did so. All she could do was cry, knowing nobody would dare interfere._

_"I'm going to ruin you, little whore. I've wanted to break you for so long, and now you're mine."_

_He inserted two fingers inside her, smirking._

_"I guess I was wrong. You're not a whore; you're a virgin. That means I don't have to pay you and this is going to be more fun than I thought. I'm your first. Not Maximillian. Me."_

Max isn't going to love me after this.

How could he?

_Somebody was yelling outside the room. She didn't recognize the voice or what they were saying. Vihaan used his knees to hold her legs apart while he fiddled with the tie holding his pants up. The door flew open and she turned her head to see Max enter the room. A look of horror and anger crossed his face as he took in the scene. Her heart ached and she tried to call out to him, but Vihaan slapped her._

_"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO HER?!" Max yelled. Vihaan jumped backwards and Max shoved him off the bed before pulling out his dagger, using it to cut her free._

You don't want me anymore. I'm no good.

_She curled into a ball, sobbing as she struggled to cover her body. Vaguely, she could hear Max and Vihaan fighting nearby, but it all sounded like it was underwater. Weakly, she lifted her head and saw Max had his father pinned to the floor, trying to stab him with the same dagger he'd used to cut her free. Vihaan saw her face and smirked, saying something to Max that she couldn't understand._

_Max obviously did._

_He stabbed his father in the eye, making the older man scream in pain and cry out for mercy before Max brought down the dagger into his chest. It only took a few moments for Vihaan to stop moving, but Max kept going. There was so much rage in his face. Was this really the man she'd fallen in love with?_

This isn't you.

_She wrapped the blankets from the bed around herself, sliding to the floor and making her way to Max. Shaking, she touched his arm and he looked at her, the fury vanishing from his features as he dropped the dagger. He collapsed, breathing heavily and staring at his blood-stained hands. She couldn't do anything but stare at the dagger as he apologized to her, over and over, for leaving her and breaking his promise._

I'm worthless now. You don't keep promises made to worthless people.

_He helped her to her feet and wrapped the blankets more tightly around her, leading her out of the room and down the hall. The guards stationed outside were groaning in pain. He'd obviously had to fight his way through to get to her._

Why would you waste your time?

_She collapsed on their bed, covering herself with the blankets completely. He was gone for a minute before coming back, assuring her that she wasn't damaged or worthless, and saying those three words._

_"I love you."_

You can't love me. I'm not worth anything.

_He left again and a maid came to dress her. Once that was done, he came back and sat by her. She didn't know why. Maybe he was just trying to add to his lies…_

* * *

"Nikki."

She opened her eyes as the last of the memory faded. Max was there, looking at her worriedly. There was no malice or annoyance in his gaze—just concern for her well-being. Her stomach twisted.

_I'm not worth worrying about._

"Nikki, how did you sleep?" he asked as she sat up.

"Fine," she mumbled.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"You need someone to take care of you after what happened yesterday. As your future husband, that's my job."

_You still want to marry me?_

"O-okay, I guess… maybe water?"

"I'll be right back. I promise. I love you."

He exited the room.

_He's just lulling you into a false sense of security._

_He doesn't actually love you._

_How stupid can you be?_

_Nobody wants a worthless daughter of a whore._

_You're worthless._

_Worthless whore._

She buried her face in her knees, wanting yesterday to be a bad dream and nothing more. A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she looked up to see Max, holding a cup of water. He handed it to her, smiling encouragingly as she took it and sipped the liquid.

"I wish I could be here all day," he sighed. "I don't want you to be alone right now, but unfortunately, I have to deal with the court today and announce my father's death. And Gwen's still in the infirmary after what happened in the library."

"I'll be fine by myself," she mumbled.

"I'm going to send some female servants here to keep an eye on you. I really don't want you alone. I can't lose you."

_I'll be a perfect way to celebrate becoming emperor._

"Okay."

"I love you and I'll see you tonight." He kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand as if he were afraid she'd be gone when he returned. Part of her wanted to believe that he wasn't lying, but why would he actually love her? She was the daughter of a whore, a girl his father had wanted as a concubine. She wasn't fit to be the empress of the Acharyian Empire. She was better off going home to Sleepy Peak and working for her mother than staying at the palace, where her heart would tell her to stay with Max.

* * *

He still wanted her there.

She stood by his side at his father's funeral, where Vihaan had been covered by a sheet in order to hide his injuries. Daniel said the appropriate words before lighting the pyre—something Max had point-blank refused to do. Max was holding her hand, squeezing it to comfort her as she watched the man who had ruined her burn away. Over the past few days, Max had been loathe to leave her side. He was sending her confusing signals, however; he assured her that he still loved her whenever he had the chance, but he didn't kiss or hug her anymore. It hurt to think that he didn't want that contact that they'd once both craved on a nightly basis.

"It's over, Nik," he whispered as they walked back towards the palace. "He's gone for good."

"Yeah," she mumbled.

"Listen, um… I know we haven't talked much about it, but I wanted to talk about our wedding."

"Our wedding?"

"You're still my fiancée. My coronation's next week, but I think the next major step should be making you my wife officially."

"Sure." He gave her a look of concern.

"Nikki, what's wrong?"

"Are you sure you want to marry me?"

"You're not ruined if that's what you think. I told you, I still want you."

"Then why won't you touch me?" She looked up at him and he pressed his lips into a thin line. "Before…  _it_  happened, you could barely keep your hands off me. Now you treat me like I'm made of glass, like I'll break if you breathe wrong."

"It has nothing to do with me not wanting you. I don't want to make whatever happened with Vihaan worse by pushing things too far. I want us to be happy together, to not be afraid of hurting you." She blinked.

_He was protecting you._

_He loves you._

"It's going to take a while to heal."

"I know, and I'm going to be right here every step of the way." He tilted her chin up and pressed his lips against hers gently. She wrapped her arms around him and deepened the kiss, feeling warmer and safer than she had since that day.

"Ahem, Your Highness," coughed Pikeman. The two broke apart to look at the recently-promoted Captain of the Imperial Guard. "We've discovered that Daniel has no intention of remaining loyal to the empire once you become emperor. What should we do about this?"

"Put him in the dungeon. He's been a pain in my ass for a long time," Max replied. He led Nikki the rest of the way to the palace and brought her to their room.

"Are we going to go all the way now?" Nikki asked.

"Not quite yet. Let's give the memory of what that bastard did a little more time to fade so we can replace it with a good memory."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, um, so I have something to say about the last two chapters, but I'm going to save it for the final author's note where I talk about scenes within the story and where the inspiration came from.
> 
> That being said, if you have questions, feel free to ask me over on my Tumblr, https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kamijeceleek. I answer questions for a variety of fandoms and I sometimes post random little ideas, so check it out!
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	8. Dictator of Rome

"He is not worthy to lead the empire! He's barely a man!"

"He killed his own father for the sake of a woman!"

"He's done nothing but stay by her unworthy side since the day he killed Vihaan!"

Max paused outside the council-room. He'd known that this was coming. It was time to face the noblemen who had supported his father so faithfully and hope that they followed him in the same way. The rightful ruler stepped into the room, the noblemen stopping their chatter to look at him.

"Your Highness," stated Thomas, one of the higher-ranking men. "Welcome to the council. We were just discussing your succession to the throne."

"I'm the only child of Vihaan and his one legitimate heir. I've trained for years to take over, so why wouldn't I become the emperor?"

"Well, sir, we're worried about your age and… the fact that you killed your own father because of the daughter of a whore. She's not  _worthy_  of becoming empress, and we fear that you've confused lust with love."

"Before you old fucks jump up my ass about age and being worthy, I have to remind you that  _my father_  took the throne when he was sixteen and married my mother around the same time. And he took the throne after the deaths of his father and two older brothers, so he was not prepared to rule. As for killing him because of the daughter of a whore, think of your own mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters. How would  _you_ react if you saw them being  _raped_  right in front of you? I acted on instinct and rage, but Nikki was able to calm me down. I fell in love with her months ago and I'll be  _damned_  if you say she's unworthy of being empress. A common girl being elevated to the throne might actually calm some of the unrest with the other peasants in your districts."

"I apologize, Your Highness."

"You're forgiven."

"Then why do you insist on staying by her side?!" spat Iago, one of his father's top advisors.

"Because I love her and she needs my support at the moment. She'll support me when I'm on the throne, so I support her now."

The noblemen looked to each other, then to the heir. All at once, they bowed to him.

"Emperor Maximillian Acharya the First, long may he rule," Thomas declared.

"Save your bowing and scraping for the coronation. I'm not the same man as my father was, and this empire will be in better hands because of that."

He exited the room and headed back towards his bedroom. Nikki was lying on the bed, her eyes shut as she tried to sleep. The night before had been uneasy; she'd woken up from nightmares multiple times and he'd had to soothe her back to slumber. Since he'd had the meeting with the advisors, he'd chosen to let her sleep a little so she wouldn't be exhausted. However, it appeared that her sleep was merely feigned, as she sat up as soon as he sat down on the bed.

"How was the meeting?" she asked.

"They were spouting bullshit about you not being worthy to be empress. I told them where they could shove it. Did you sleep at  _all_  while I was gone?"

"A little bit. Not much. It's not easy to sleep."

"I get it. I can't get to sleep unless I know you're asleep first. At least then I know you're safe."

"You've got Lady Campbell teaching me to fight now. A little more training and I'll be able to take care of myself."

"I'm always going to worry about you."

He pulled her into a kiss and they fell backwards, Nikki on top of him. For a few brief, ecstatic moments, there was nothing in the world but the two of them. Then there came a knock at the door.

"Are you decent?" a familiar voice asked.

"Yes,  _Mother_ ," Max groaned. Gwen opened the door. Her head was still bandaged where she'd been attacked a week earlier.

"Good. We've got a lot to do. Max, you've got to greet the foreign dignitaries arriving for your coronation. Nikki, Lady Campbell requested you to be in the garden to train today."

"Thanks." Max slid off the bed. "What kind of dignitaries do we have?"

"Rome and Egypt, our closest neighbors and rivals."

"So, we've got King Ptolemy and…"

"Julius Caesar. And King Ptolemy is dead; his sister Cleopatra is on the throne."

"I always thought Ptolemy was a fucking idiot. His sister got the brains in the family."

"Caesar is arriving today. Cleopatra will be here tomorrow."

"Great." Max kissed Nikki on the cheek. "Watch out for those Romans, Nik. I heard they're almost as bad as Vihaan."

"I'm not going anywhere unarmed or alone," she replied with a smile.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Max followed Gwen out of the room and towards the throne room. Once there, he sat on his father's chair and watched as Julius Caesar—conqueror of Gaul and dictator of Rome—entered with his entourage.

"So, you are the new emperor," Caesar stated. "You're awfully young. How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"I was nineteen when I had my first taste of battle. I hope that we can be allies, Your Majesty." He bowed respectfully and Max narrowed his eyes.

_You're a politician, first and foremost. I don't trust you any farther than I can throw you._

"And I hope that you remember that the Acharyian Empire is much older and larger than your Roman Republic."

"I hope to turn it into an empire, Your Majesty."

"Ah. Well, enjoy your stay. Also, please mind all our laws and ways of life."

"Might I offer condolences for your father's death?"

"You might, but it would be pointless. I don't care that he's dead."

Caesar raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then was escorted out of the room. Max sighed; was he  _seriously_  going to start his reign by making allies with that man? From what he'd heard about Caesar, the man was a military genius; he'd defeated an army that outnumbered his own five-to-one with sheer strategy. Not only that, but less savory rumors about him painted the leader of Rome as a womanizer who was good at luring women to his bed. Every bit of information made Julius Caesar a terrifying man to be reckoned with, and a dangerous person to make an enemy of. For the sake of the empire, he'd have to be an ally.

* * *

Dinner was a grand affair, given that Caesar was their guest. The two men were already seated, but Max refused to eat until his fiancée arrived. She was late due to the fact that Gwen insisted that Nikki dress for the occasion, meaning that she'd be dressed more formally than Max had ever seen her. Nikki entered the room wearing a pale pink dress and made her way to her seat, which was right next to Max's.

"And who is this?" Caesar asked, looking at Nikki with interest.

"This is my fiancée, Nikki," Max stated. "Nikki, this is Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Nikki told Caesar. He nodded, smiling.

"And a pleasure to meet a beautiful woman like yourself. What noble family of the empire are you from?"

"I was born a peasant, actually. I'm only a noble because Max elevated me to that status so he could marry me." Max put his hand on top of hers with a gentle look.

"Well, we can't control when and where we fall in love. I fell in love with the Queen of Egypt and we now have a son—Caesarian. He'll be the ruler of both Rome and Egypt one day. I wish you both every happiness."

"Speaking of Cleopatra, she'll be arriving tomorrow," Max interjected. "I assume she'll be bringing your son?"

"Ah, of course! This is the first event we've attended together. I hope your wedding will be the second."

The food was brought out and the conversations turned to small talk. Max felt uncomfortable around Caesar; the man felt like he was always scheming. Not to mention he continually complimented Nikki on her beauty and intelligence to a degree that Max was sure was flirting. Thankfully, the future empress was loyal only to her future husband and gently rebuffed Caesar's advances. At the end of the meal, Max and Nikki retired to their bedchamber.

"Well, isn't he a charmer?" Nikki laughed sarcastically.

"How do you think he got himself elected dictator?" Max asked. "I don't trust him. He seems like he's always planning something."

"Isn't he trying to become our ally? Of course he's planning something. Rome and Egypt are two of the most influential powers in the world right now, along with us."

"How much reading have you been doing?"

"A bit. Lady Campbell tends to ramble about world affairs when we're taking breaks when she's not gushing about Pikeman and her upcoming wedding."

"I forgot they're engaged."

"She'll be Lady Pikeman soon. And I want her to be one of my attendants at the wedding, too."

"So we're talking about that now? You're not worried about… what happens after?"

"It's  _you_. You aren't going to do anything to hurt me in any way, especially when we're together like that. You love me, and I love you. Whenever you want to have the wedding is fine with me."

He kissed her gently, his hand traveling downward to her waist as he leaned her back onto their bed. She let out a moan, digging her sharp nails into his back and making him hiss.

"Sorry!"

"No, that was fine. I love you."

They still didn't go all the way, but they were pretty comfortable with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Julius Caesar: history's greatest and most tragic dictator. Before the word was bastardized, he was what leaders aspired to be. Czars and Kaisers even got their titles from the word 'Caesar'!
> 
> Okay, yeah, I know this actually puts a time frame on the story (Caesar was dictator of Rome from 49-44 BCE and his and Cleopatra's son was born in 46 BCE) but I think adding actual historical figures makes this story a little more interesting. Most of what I mention about Caesar's accomplishments is factual and was gained through the Rome Netflix series (as well as Overly Sarcastic Productions and Ruining History on YouTube). I thought it would be fun to bounce Max and Julius Caesar's personalities off each other, as well as have Nikki interact with the badass Queen of Egypt known as Cleopatra VII. Yes, there were six other Cleopatras who were Queen of Egypt at some point before her. Not kidding.
> 
> Thanks for listening to my half-assed history lecture! I actually really like history as a subject and I wanted to add in Julius Caesar as a character in my story in some way. Be glad I didn't go with my original plan of him meeting Nikki on the battlefield. No, that's a different Roman later on.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	9. Coronation Day

Coronation day.

It dawned bright and early, making Max grumble to himself as sunlight streamed through his windows. He was currently snuggled up with Nikki in their bed and wanted to stay there for a bit longer before the day started. She was soft and warm in his arms, her hair carrying its natural scent of wild honey and roses that comforted him as it usually did. This was the high point of his day and what he looked forward to—just the two of them, with nobody else intruding on their perfect little world.

Unfortunately, today wasn't normal.

"Your Majesty?"

Max groaned as Gwen's voice came through the door. The hinges creaked and he heard her enter.

"You get your ass out of bed right now or I'm dumping water on your head," she stated. Nikki mumbled and snuggled closer to Max, who gave Gwen a look that said 'I'm trapped, what do you want me to do?' She sighed and tapped the empress-to-be on the shoulder.

"What's going on?" Nikki murmured, opening her eyes. Her hair was a mess from sleep, and a piece of it was even stuck to her mouth.

"Nikki, the coronation's today," Gwen told her. "Max has to get ready, but you'll see him at the ceremony, okay?"

"Okay." They could tell that Nikki wasn't quite in the land of the living just yet, so she was acting like a young child. That became especially true when she took Gwen's hand and Max was left alone. He got out of bed and began to prepare for the ceremony. Once that was done, he was led from his bedroom to the throne room, where he'd be crowned before all of the nobility in the kingdom, as well as the foreign dignitaries who'd come.

"Welcome, ladies and gentleman," stated James, the new priest who'd taken over when Daniel was imprisoned. "Today is a day of celebration. The Acharyian Empire, in all its glory, will have a new emperor. He is young, but strong and ready to lead us into an era of glory. Maximillian, please step forward." Max knelt. "Do you vow to lead the empire until the day you die, and do you swear to bring honor to your people?"

"I swear," Max stated.

"Then, by the power of the gods, I hereby declare you Emperor Maximillian, ruler of the Acharyian Empire. Long may you reign!" The crown was put onto Max's head and he stood before the crowd. Nikki was clapping in her place next to Gwen and David, and there was a massive smile on her face.

Once the coronation itself was over, there was a grand celebration. Max stood before the people of the empire, who applauded their new ruler with open joy. Many had suffered under Vihaan's rule, and they hoped that the new emperor would bring peace and prosperity. Especially given that his chosen bride had once been a peasant like the majority of the empire. Surely, she would push for them to have better lives than they'd had for over two decades.

"Your people love you," Caesar commented as Max re-entered the palace. "A hard thing to accomplish, for sure."

"Well, when compared to my father, it's not as impossible as it seems. They were beat down for two decades under his rule, and anything I do is going to be an improvement."

"I look forward to watching what you'll do, Your Majesty."

"And I'm looking forward to ruling as long as I can, hopefully with Nikki by my side for the entirety of it."

They headed into the ballroom, where the nobility of the empire was celebrating the way only the truly refined could—by partying the day away. Nikki was deep in conversation with Cleopatra, who appeared to be taken with the future empress. Her face was full of curiosity, and Max could hear her asking questions as to how the empire worked and what the position of empress entailed. Nikki was answering those questions to the best of her ability.

"Hey, Nik," he greeted his bride. "I see you're already making a friend."

"Yes," Cleopatra replied, smiling. "Nikki is quite the interesting woman. I'd love to get to know her better, if you'll invite me back sometime."

"We'd love to have you again," Nikki told the queen. "You're fun to talk to. There's not a lot of people like that around here."

"Hey!" Max protested.

"I said  _not many_. You're one of the fun people to talk to."

"So, the two of you are engaged?"

"Yep. The wedding's in a couple weeks. We wanted to make coming all the way to the empire worth your while."

"And it is. Good luck, you two!"

* * *

Nikki let out a gasp as Max pinned her against the wall, kissing her neck and running his hands down her sides.

After an afternoon and evening of talking, eating, and drinking, the emperor had excused himself and his bride to go to bed. Max had drank his fair share of wine, and Nikki had drunken a few glasses herself. Hence why they were currently against the wall of their bedroom rather than downstairs with the rest of the celebration. She moaned as he moved to kissing her lips, bucking her hips against his and making him groan with anticipation.

"You want me to take you here?" he hissed.

"I'd prefer the bed, to be honest," she whispered. He smirked and swept her into his arms, carrying her over to their shared sleeping quarters and setting her down on the soft mattress.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"We've been putting this off for months. I don't want to risk some other man getting an idea in his head and taking me by force before we're together in the eyes of the law."

"I heard it fucking hurts the first time."

"Of course it does. But I know you'll be gentle."

They began kissing again, Max fiddling with the ties that held her dress closed in the back while she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her dress came off with little effort, once she let him pull it off her. She then helped him remove his own clothes and they were more naked before each other than they'd ever been before. His eyes were clouded with lust, but they also had the same care and gentleness she knew he only had towards her. His hands found their way to her breasts, which he gently squeezed.

The gasp she gave was enough to encourage him on. Max could feel himself hardening as she gripped his dick, rubbing it in a way that made him want to release all over her. She then bit his lower lip, making him moan and buck into her hand.

"Can I be on top?" Nikki mumbled as he kissed her neck again.

"Yeah. Go for it. We're doing this no matter who's on top."

They switched positions so that she was straddling his hips. She took his erection in her hand and lined it up with her entrance before bringing herself down. He groaned in ecstasy, but she had tears streaming down her face from the slight pain that was brought on by his sudden entry. She could feel him freeze beneath her.

"Shit. Nikki, I'm sorry."

"No! It's just… I'm not used to it yet." She shifted her hips, bringing herself upward slightly before bringing herself back down. He groaned again, but now he was bucking his hips against her as they consummated their love. Their moans filled their bedchamber, only fueling the fires of passion as Max sat up and started slamming his hips upward.

And then Nikki felt herself break as a feeling of unraveling swept over her. It was pure ecstasy and it left her feeling exhausted. Max continued thrusting into her until she felt him spill inside her, shuddering as the feelings of pure lust subsided.

"That was  _amazing_ ," he breathed, holding her close to him.

"How did we restrain ourselves?" she giggled, snuggling into his chest.

"I think it was me not wanting to take things too far."

"Or maybe we were just waiting for a night like this. Where nobody interrupts us and it's just you and me."

"Let's go with that." He kissed her on the forehead before making his way to her mouth. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut is lackluster. It's been a long week.
> 
> Moving on! It's been a couple of days since I uploaded due to three things. First, school's a bitch. Second, there is a hurricane about to hit my town (Hurricane Michael; don't worry, I don't live on the coast so we're just getting a shitload of rain). And finally, I GOT A JOB! *claps hands excitedly* I'm working at a fast-food place called Cookout. If you ever get a chance to eat at one, go. It's fantastic. They're opening one in my town and I got a job there!
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	10. Wedding Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before today's chapter begins, I need to give shout-outs to three of my readers. Let's start with Jomahawk, who gave me a compliment that felt like I was actually doing something right; he (or she) said that I had one of the best Makki stories anywhere and I felt all warm and fuzzy. Next is my main man Clownboy, who's been a loyal reader since back when I was writing The Princess, The Thief, and The Alchemist and makes it a point to review every Camp Camp thing I write. And finally, BigMike3321, who wrote a better version of the coronation day chapter that you can check out and has been a loyal reader almost as long as Clownboy. Also, thank you to Electrathememestar and AkiPyromaniac for taking time to review this story that I wrote on a whim.
> 
> Enough of me gushing over my fans; let's begin!

The Acharyian Empire was a nation known for its military prowess. It had been that way for centuries, but for twenty years, it also became known for a cruel ruler, corrupt officials, needless violence, and senseless executions. Those factors made it difficult for the empire to find any outside allies who were willing to deal with Emperor Vihaan and his court. In the world of trade, not having allies was crippling to the economy and the empire's had been on the verge of collapse when Vihaan died. For the first time, he was celebrated—for dying and leaving the empire in the hands of his son.

A new ruler was a welcome change, as things changed very quickly for the better. Laws were added and repealed as needed, and the Romans and Egypt became valuable allies to the empire. Max was just what the people needed, and when word got out that he was marrying a common girl for love? Oh, they rejoiced him even more! One of their own was going to be ruling as second-in-command of the entire empire! It was a time to celebrate being part of something this amazing.

Hence why the day of the royal wedding was so joyous.

The streets of the capital were packed with people, all wanting to see the newly-crowned empress with her husband. Nothing was going to stop the wedding, after all. Vihaan was dead and there weren't any jilted suitors of either the bride or the groom to object to the union. It was going to be a perfect day, as perfect as possible. It had to be, for the sake of the empire's morale.

And it was.

Traditions were upheld, vows were given and taken, and a new empress was crowned. Celebrations were held in the honor of the rulers of the empire, both inside the palace and outside it. Nothing could be better for them.

* * *

"Are you ready?"

"It's not like it's our first time."

"Yeah, true. But this room has a lot of bad memories." Max gripped his wife's (his  _wife's_!) hand as they entered what had once been Vihaan's bedroom. The blood had been scrubbed from the floor and all the furniture replaced. It looked like a different room, save for the dagger that hung from the wall.

That remained as a reminder that Max's reign had begun in blood.

"I can't believe I'm the empress now," Nikki whispered as they climbed into bed. "If you had told me a year ago that I'd marry the prince of the Acharyian Empire and that the Queen of Egypt would be interested in being my friend, I wouldn't have believed you. In fact, I probably would've hit whoever said it."

"And if you had told me I would work up the courage to finally kill You-Know-Who, I would've called you crazy and banished you from the palace."

"Good thing both of us know it's true now." She straddled his hips, leaning down to kiss him gently. He returned the action.

Unlike their previous sessions, which had been fast and fueled by pure lust and alcohol, this one was going to be slow and passionate. They were going to savor every moment of it, and it wouldn't be just sex. It was going to be love-making, the kind that you could only have when you loved someone more than anything else on the planet.

Max let his hands travel to the back of her dress, where he began to undo the ties that held it together. She deepened their kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth. He responded by sliding her dress down her body, exposing her breasts to him. They broke their kiss only so she could pull Max's shirt over his head. Now they were both topless, kissing each other like it was the end of the world.

"I think… the dress… needs to go!" she gasped as he slid his hand to her ass, still covered by cloth.

"I agree, Your Majesty." The look in his eyes was full of mischief as she went to the edge of the bed and rid herself of the dress. All she wore now was a pair of undergarments. Max slid off his pants and dropped them to the floor, an obvious tent forming under his own undergarments.

" _Somebody's_  excited," she teased, lightly trailing her hand over the bulge.

"My beautiful wife is in my bed. Why wouldn't I be?" He began to kiss her neck, nipping at the pressure points where she was sensitive. She moaned, lying back in their bed and letting him run his hands up and down her torso. Usually, she was on top, but since it was a special occasion, she'd decided to let him take the reins.

"I think I'm ready."

"Not yet." She looked at him in confusion before he pulled off her undergarments. Her eyes widened as he inserted two fingers inside her.

"Oh,  _fuck_!" she squealed, liking the feeling. He smirked and took her right nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip and sucking like a baby. Then he bit down and she arched into him, encouraging him to do the same to her left.

" _Now_  you're ready," he told her, taking off his own undergarments and positioning himself at her entrance. Slowly, he slid inside her, making sure she felt every part of his dick going into her.

"That feels  _good_ …"

He wasn't quite done. He began to slowly thrust into her, prolonging the feeling of arousal within her. Her moans made him thrust harder and harder until he felt her tighten around him. She spasmed as she came, her eyes rolling back into her head as she let out a scream of pleasure.

He followed her not long after and collapsed beside her in the bed, so he wouldn't crush her with his weight. She was panting heavily.

Obviously, they both needed to work on stamina, but they had the rest of their lives for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter today because shit's going down next time.
> 
> Not for our imperial couple, obviously, but some major historical events are about to happen and it'll be significant. If you know anything about March 15, 44 BCE, then you know what I'm talking about. If you don't, go ahead and Google it. I'll wait.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


	11. Assassination

The City of Rome. March 15, 44 BCE.

For years, Rome has prospered under the guiding hand of Julius Caesar, their dictator-for-life and leading general. It was Caesar who had won the Gallic War. Caesar, who had made alliances with the two most powerful empires in the world. Caesar, who refused to let the Roman people suffer. He controlled the Senate. He controlled the calendar. He made life just so much  _better_  for those in Rome.

However, a group of senators didn't agree.

Sixty of them set up a plan—to rid themselves of Caesar once and for all. Not one of them thought of Egypt to the south or the Acharyian Empire to the east. It was well known among Romans that Caesar was on good terms with Emperor Max and his new bride, and that the Empire had agreed to be on good terms with Rome. And Caesar had a child set to inherit the throne of Egypt. The senators thought Caesar was getting too powerful, and Rome would never be ruled by a king…

On that fateful day, Caesar went to the Senate, prepared to discuss his recent trip and propose a visit from the emperor and empress of the Acharyian Empire. He entered the building and stood before his fellow Romans, not suspecting a single thing.

"Emperor Maximillian has agreed to be our ally," Caesar told the senators. "It is in our best interest, given hostility from barbarians in the north. As per our agreement, the Acharyian Empire will support the Roman legions if needed, whether financially or by providing auxiliary regiments. Now, to solidify this, the emperor has requested that he and his bride be allowed to visit Rome…"

As he spoke, some of the senators stood from their seats and approached, drawing their knives. These senators included Brutus, a close friend of Caesar, and Cassius, who had never liked Caesar in the first place. Caesar didn't look up from his notes until the first knife plunged into his gut, at which point he realized what was happening with horror in his eyes.

" _Et tu, Brute_?" he uttered, looking at Brutus after the young man had stabbed him. Brutus dropped his knife, realizing what he'd just done.

And within the hour, Julius Caesar laid dead on the floor of the Senate. He had been stabbed twenty-three times by people who hated him for trying to completely and utterly unite Rome under a single leader, all because they didn't want a king.

Once word got to the Roman people, there was an immediate uprising. They'd loved Caesar, and the fact that he was dead sat ill with most of them. Half the Senate fled to Greece, seeking safety, while the other half tried to quell the riots. Marcus Antonius, the consul who had been one of Caesar's trusted allies, sent messengers to Egypt and the Acharyian Empire to inform the rulers of the respective nations that the great man was dead.

Cleopatra mourned his loss but continued to rule Egypt.

In the Acharyian Empire, Max conferred with his wife and advisors on what to do. Within a few weeks of Caesar's death, Marcus Antonius and young Octavian both arrived in the palace to help plan on how they would eliminate the assassins that killed Caesar.

* * *

"The empire is every bit as beautiful as Caesar described."

Antonius nodded in agreement as they walked through the palace towards the throne room. They'd arrived less than half an hour before and were being allowed to explore the palace before their meeting with the emperor. Seeing the grandeur that such a monarch experienced made both men long to be emperors, too—if only to receive similar treasures and gifts.

A yell from one of the inner courtyards got their attention and they ran to see what it was. Two young women—one with long, dark brown hair and the other with curly green hair—were sparring with swords. The brunette was more skilled, but the green-haired one was keeping up well. Both were obviously noblewomen, based on the way they dressed and the quality of their blades, which confused the two Romans even more.

"They're beautiful," breathed Antonius.

"Yes, well…" sighed Octavian, holding his hands behind his back. "Obviously, they must be concubines of the emperor."

"Our emperor doesn't  _have_  concubines," snorted a voice behind them. They turned to see a young man with light brown, curly hair. "He only has his wife—the empress. He has expressly stated that he will never take concubines at any time."

"So, where is the empress, young man?" Octavian inquired.

"She's out there. The one with green hair."

"I'm surprised the emperor allows his wife to act in such a manner."

"He wants her to be able to defend herself. My name is Neil, by the way—I'm one of Emperor Maximillian's advisors."

There was another yell as the empress knocked her opponent to the ground, pointing the sword at her chin. Then both women started laughing and the empress helped the other woman up.

"She certainly has a certain fire to her."

"That she does, my friend. Come. It's time for you to meet the emperor."

The two men followed the third into the meeting room, where the emperor was waiting with a select group of advisors. Antonius and Octavian each took a seat before the door once again flew open. Panting, the empress rushed in and took her seat next to the emperor, who kissed her on the cheek in a show of public affection that neither of the Romans were used to seeing.

"Your Majesty, I am Octavian. This is Marcus Antonius, a good friend of mine and a man who wants to help us avenge Caesar."

"Thank you, Octavian. My name is Maximillian, but most call me Max. This is my wife, Nicolette—but you'll call her Nikki if you know what's good for you."

"Why is a woman privy to these discussions?" asked Antonius.

"I trust Nikki with my life, and she's really good with battle plans. She came up with a few operations that we did on our border, and every single one was successful."

Antonius swallowed.

"We are asking for you to attack from the east so we may attack from the west," Octavian said simply. "Cleopatra has already agreed to attack from the south with her navy. We'll surround Cassius and Brutus and then we'll kill them in retribution."

"That's predictable," Nikki sighed, speaking for the first time. "We need to do something unexpected. I say that we split the Roman and Acharyian factions and attack from the north. We'll keep the rest in reserves to the east and west. The northern army will drive them south, into Cleopatra's faction, and then we'll have them trapped."

"A bold move, Your Majesty, but how do you know that this will work?"

"Because these are three armies of battle-hardened warriors—numbering in the hundreds of thousands—against a rebel faction that's outnumbered twelve to one."

"She's  _absolutely_  right," agreed Octavian. "We go with her plan, for now."

* * *

"What do you mean, you're going?"

Max was staring at his wife in disbelief. She was sitting on their bed, kicking her feet slightly as he tried to process what she'd just told him.

"I said, I'm going on the campaign."

"Nik—"

"I'm being serious, Max. I'm going onto the battlefield and commanding the army and you can't stop me."

"I'm emperor. I can make people do whatever I want."

"But you  _won't_." She gave him a small smile. "I want to do this. All anybody sees me as is a pretty face. We both know I can do it."

He sighed and leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers before planting a small kiss on her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him on top of her.

" _Somebody's_  aggressive tonight."

"Shut up and kiss me, you asshole."

"As you wish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back after a hiatus!
> 
> So, the Romans are causing problems—what else are they good for? Another important note to make is that the 15 of March, 44 B.C. was the actual day Julius Caesar was stabbed to death on the floor of the Senate. And it also marked the true end of the Roman Republic because those dicks didn't think, 'hey, the people like this guy. They might be a little pissed off if we kill him and then kill all of us… nah. We're rich white guys. They can't touch us.'
> 
> And then every single one of them was slaughtered.
> 
> THE END.
> 
> Not of this story, mind you—I still have a bit of a story to tell—but I can tell you that we'll be ending within the next few chapters.
> 
> Oh, and for those of you who are unaware of this fact, Octavian was the real name of Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. Marcus Antonius is just Marc Antony. I went with his more Roman name because it sounded better.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish!


End file.
